The Earl obviously bit back some remark that he was going to make about the frivolous way she was speaking to him and after a moment’s pause said,
“I have to inform now you that Lord Rowlock has approached me to ask for your hand in marriage. I have told him that not only would I not give my consent to such an alliance, but he is not to communicate with you in any way in the future nor, if he does, are you to speak to him.”
“Lord Rowlock? But I find him rather amusing,” Petrina replied.
“He is a fortune-hunter of the worst sort. He has tried for years to marry every young woman who is known to have money. It shows that he needs to have his head examined to have approached me with such a proposition.”
“I certainly have no wish to marry him,” Petrina responded. “But he is more amusing th
